Goodie! It’s that time of year again when a few hundred square feet of every grocery store becomes a temporary enclave of Christmas snacks, full of icy squares, Turtles and Toblerone bars the size of fence posts. I can’t say […]
Tag: nostalgia
Arbitrary: Why I love my balcony garden
Until moving to Calgary, the closest I came to balcony gardening was the flower bed in front of our old apartment in Edmonton’s Belgravia neighbourhood, which the owners actively encouraged us to plant with veggies and herbs. Try as we […]
Review: Nerds! candy
It’s back to school time again, and you know what that means! Nerds! Not my intellectually curious brethren (copy editor pride, yo), but the Willy Wonka candy staple. I’ve been hooked since I bought my first box at a convenience […]
Review: Pop Rocks
What’s that Simpsons quote? “It’s like there’s a party in my mouth, and everyone’s invited!”? That just about sums up Pop Rocks. You never forget your first experience with this exploding confection. You tear open the package, throw some Pop […]
Review: Mr. Christie’s Arrowroot Biscuits
Who in Canada doesn’t have childhood memories of chomping on Arrowroot cookies, possibly while sipping from a plastic tumbler of apple juice? For some reason, Arrowroot cookies have become the toddler snack of choice. How this connection between children and […]
Arbitrary: The First Slurpee of the Season
There’s something magical about the first Slurpee of the season, isn’t there? The sweet, frosty, icy, slushy soft drink is a staple of the summer season in this part of the world, and there is much to celebrate on the […]
Review: Grenache creamy maple spread
Another quirky find at Calgary’s fabulous Kalamata grocery store, this homely looking jar of Grenache “creamy spread” is mysterious, yet sounds yummy. It’s made by Smucker Foods of Canada, so it’s not some tiny artisanal product. And yet, this is […]
Review: Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs
They’re an Easter season staple in Canada and in many other parts of the world, yet they’re banned in America. While the Kinder Surprise menace is apparently clear and present, I’d venture there are at least a handful of greater […]